CTSM (capetown school of mountaineering) is running a trad leader course on 10-11 Des. We might actually need an extra person to take the course with us. We are a group of 3, mybe 4. Contact me at wall@perfecthealth.co.za or contact CTSM. Details on their website: www.ctsm.co.za

I did the leaders course with CTSM late last year. I had been sport climbing for a year or two and then decided to try trad. The course was really good. The main thing it did for me was give me confidence in my gear placement and anchor set ups. We also did a little bit of self rescue which was cool. It was good to learn the difficult lessons the easy way and for me that made it worth it.

I do a bit of everything... I hike a bit, started sport climbing a few years ago, then went into trad, and just recently started messing around on boulders. As far as climbing grades go, I am pretty crap, but I love doing all of them. Sport and Gym climbing is fun if I want to try and gauge if I am actually getting any better. Bouldering is cool for both the social and the solitary climber in me. Trad is really nice for combining what I love about hiking and climbing. You get to be outside, and explore a little bit more. It is also a little less defined. You don't have this bread crumb trail of bolts to follow, and part of the fun and adventure is finding the route and staying on it. If you like the exposure and the adventure, then trad is for you. Just aim low. I sport climb a poultry grade 19-20, but on trad I stick to around 13, 14. For me the goals are different, and I am just getting out there to have fun and enjoy being outdoors. If grades matter to you, stick to indoor or sport. If you do decide to go for trad, then I feel a course is pretty important. There is a lot to learn, and self study can be a little dangerous.

I dont know what its like in CT, but up in Joburg the best way to start tradding is definately thru the MCSA. They have weekly trad meets where u get to climb with many different people and try all the different gear. A course isnt bad to give you confidence to start off, but theres nothing to beat experience gained from lots of climbing. If you plan on doing any kind of hard trad try and take some controlled falls as quickly as possible. It will save alot of mental anguish on the harder routes.

An Update: My friend and I went with CTSM. Contact was Kaylene. The first day our instructor was Ross which clearly had many many years of experience. Learnt a lot the first day. Covered top roping, abseiling (got stuck half way and had to be \"rescued\" at Silvermine) and sports climbing.

The next day we arrived at the lower cable way station to be called by Kaylene and informed that our new instructor was sick. Bugger, had to get up at 6:30 to leave from Melkbos to get there at 8:00.

Next morning Kaylene phoned again to let us know the instructor was still sick.

Next day she had a backup, Adam, which also knew his story. Showed us the \"ropes\", and there we went climbing India Rubber. I'm sure you guys consider it easy, but the chimney was rather stressful. Adam was very much in control and that was comforting to the newbies. We abseiled down 50 m. Awesome stuff. Happy to know how to sort out yourself if you get stuck abseiling - previous experience was a bit embarressing (Adam explained about wrapping a rope around your foot to lift yourself).

We decided to takle sports climbing for six months or so to get experience before trying trad climbing. Think we need another course ...

All in all, was awesome and a great intro.

Lesson:
1. Best to do a top rope course at City Rock before doing this course (which we had - you'd think a figure 8 knot is easy, but it is terrible confusing to newbies actually)
2. Climbing community is small and everyone knows everybody
3. Sports climbing is a good place to start - a bit of a risk, plenty of protection, affordable entry to the sport
4. Lead climbing (especially trad) requires more balls (or something else) and requires more experience
5. Two days of lessons are not nearly enough, but a good intro
6. Climbers are people and get sick
7. Climbers like abreviations, much like computer people. I mean, crab and pro ... sounds like a sex worker!
8. This sport is just what I was looking for ... absolutely love the thrill and the \"specialness\" of it. It's quite a kick that \"normal\" people think you are nuts. Gha, the fools!
9. A great upgrade for people that have been hiking and scrambling extensively.
10. Ten? Give me a minute ...

EDIT

11. I now understand the terminology. Solo is pretty cool and seriously dangerous, trad lead is what I'd ultimately like to do, sports climbing is great fun with a bit of an edge, gyms are boring.
12. Best of all: the sexes ratio are roughly 50:50!

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